Devotion 9 — Sh’ma and Idolatry |
When Power Stops Listening
Scripture“They have mouths, but do not speak;eyes, but do not see;ears, but do not hear.”— Psalm 115:5–6
The Bible’s critique of idolatry reveals something deeper than we often notice.
Idols are not condemned merely because they are false gods. They are condemned because they cannot listen.
They have mouths, but do not speak.They have eyes, but do not see.They have ears, but do not hear.
They are unresponsive.
An idol cannot be interrupted. It cannot be corrected. It cannot respond to suffering or injustice. No matter what happens around it, it remains unchanged.
Residents speak at a public meeting about decisions affecting their neighborhood, sharing concerns shaped by years of experience. The officials thank them—and proceed unchanged. The process heard their voices, but did not listen.
This is what unresponsiveness looks like in practice.
And Scripture adds a sobering warning:Those who make them become like them.
To stop listening is to become idol-like.
This insight is not just about ancient statues. It is about the human tendency to become closed—to truth, to correction, and to the needs of others.
Throughout the........